Advertising display rack and clip therefor



May 18, 1965 M. COHEN 3,184,075

ADVERTISING DISPLAY RACK AND CLIP THEREFOR Filed Feb. 12, 1964 INVENTOR. 4/51 I//A/ (ZHZA/ United States Patent 0 3,184,075 ADVERTlSING DISPLAY RACK AND CUP THEREFGR Melvin Cohen, 150 Dayton Ave, Passaic, NJ. Filed Feb. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 344,265 4 Claims. ((Il. 211-148) The present invention relates generally to display devices and more particularly to a multisection display and advertising rack and the means for maintaining the multisection advertising and display rack in an assembled relationship.

With the constant growth of the supermarket type, one-stop shopping centers, floor space has become more and more valuable. The checkout counters through which each shopper must pass are prime areas for the display of the type of items which lend themselves to impulse-type buying. In order to increase the sales of impulse purchase products, it is desirable to locate these items in a close relationship to the checkout counter. Since it is not practiced to build heavy wooden shelves in front of each checkout counter, it has been found that it is desirable to place inexpensive movable display shelves directly in front of the checkout counters and cash regis ters.

It is intended that the combined display rack be used with an upper display rack, which upper display rack fits on top of and overhangs the upper portion of the lower display rack, thereby increasing the amount of display and advertising space which is available using the same amount of floor space as was originally used by the single lower display only. When the display device is in the assembled relationship, it is necessary that a locking or securement means he provided to prevent the upper display rack from coming free from or falling off the lower display rack,

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multisection advertising and display device, the individual sections or" which can be used in combinaticn with each other and to further provide means for securing the upper display section to the lower display section.

Further, it is an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive, movable display device which may be increased in size, so as to increase the available display area without any attendant increase in the amount of floor space utilized by the display device.

it is another object of the present invention to provide a rack which, because of its multisection construction may be used to display a wider variety and amount or" goods in a smaller area than could be heretofore accomplished.

A further object of the present invention is to provide fastening means for releasably securing upper and lower advertising display racks in an assembled relationship to form a composite display device.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel clip which may be used with existing display devices so as to allow the addition of an additicnal upper display rack to an existing display rack which may already be in use.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a clip which is of a novel construction to facilitate the assembly of an upper and lower display rack and which may be installed from easily accessible locations, and will snap into place to maintain the display racks in a secure manner without the necessity of employing any tools in order to eilect the securement.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds, wherein a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example, only, wherein:

lld ifild Patented ay 18, 1965 'ice FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the upper and lower display racks and the clip used for fastening the display racks together;

H6. 2 is an exploded vertical sectional view of the upper and lower display racks taken along the plane of line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged perspective view showing the clip in mounted relationship to the upper and lower display racks;

PEG. 4 is a transverse sectional detail view taken along the plane of line 4--4 in FIG. 3, showing the clip in an engaged relationship fastening the upper and lower display racks, and further showing by broken lines a view of the clip just before it has been snapped into position to complete the fastening; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective View of the clip forming one of the components of the present invention.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views, reference numeral it) generally designates the composite display rack. The lower display rack is generally designated by reference numeral 12, reference numeral 14 designating an upper display rack, while a unique clip 16 is provided for the purpose of fastening the upper display rack 14 to the lower display rack 12.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 1, there is shown the lower display rack 12 having a pair of inverted substantially U-shaped assemblies 15, each of which include a pair of tubular legs 18. Intermediate the tubular legs 18 there are provided cross members 24) which extend from the front edge to the rear edge of the tubular leg assembly 18. Display shelves 22 are mounted on the tubular leg assemblies 18 extending in a forwardly and downwardly sloping relationship from locations 24, which shelves 22 rest upon the cross members 2% The forward and lower position 26 of the shelves 22 rest upon the front end of the cross members 20 and are below the rear edges 24 of the shelves 22. At right angles to the forward edge of the shelves 22 are display retainers 2,3 which prevent the products displayed upon the inclined shelves 522 from slipping off the forward ends 24 of the shelves 22-, as a result of the downwardly slanted position of the shelves 22.

The exact number of cross members 2% and shelves 22 may be varied according to the particular size and need of the display counter being used.

Extending vertically and outwardly of the cross members 2d are a pair of upper display rack support bars 3% which are attached by known means such as welding to the cross members 20 which are positioned on the tubular legs 13 of the lower display rack 12.

The upper display rack 14 is formed with a pair of tubular triangular side members 56. The tubular triangular side members dtt of the upper display rack are formed with horizontal lower members 52, which members 52 are adapted to be placed into a U-shaped groove il of the upper display rack receiving members 5t. Intermediate the side members 5i) of the upper display rack 14 are a number of shelves 53 which extend forwardly from the rear edges 55 and contact the forward sloping side member portions 57 of the triangular side members 5%. The shelves 53 are attached to the rear edges 55 and the sloping forward portions 57 in a conventional manner such as by welding.

The upper display rack support bars 39 are attached to the upper portions 32 of the assemblies 15 by known attachment means such as welding not shown. The uppermost extremity 36 of the upper display rack support bars 30 are formed with inwardly facing curves. The upper display rack support bars 36, after being curved inwardly at 36, are formed with downwardly depending leg sections 38, which are adapted to overlie the upper portions 32 of the assemblies of the lower display rack assembly 12. The upper display rack support bars 36 are then bent horizontally inwardly at 40 and extend upwardly at 42 forming U-shaped upper display rack receiving grooves generally indicated as 41 into which the tubular side members of the upper display rack assembly 14 are to be placed.

When the upper display rack 14 and the lower display rack 12 are in an assembled configuration with the lower members 52 in the groove 41 of the upper display rack receiving member 30, the forward portions of the upper display rack 14 overhanging the upper portion of the lower display rack 12. This overhangtprevents the accidental displacement of merchandise which is displayed on the upper shelves of the lower display rack 12. Further, the overhang results in the provision of large display shelves 53, on the upper display rack 14, with no attendant increase in the amount of floor space which is required for the lower display rack 12.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 3, it may be clearly seen that lower members 52 of the tubular side members 50 of the upper display rack 14 are placed within the receiving'groove 41 formed in the upper display rack receiving member 30. The upper display rack 14 is positioned with the lower members 52 of the tubular triangular side members 50 within the upper display rack receiving grooves 41.

A clip 16 which has a planar central connecting portion 60 and two opposed curved engagement sections 62, 64 is provided. The opposed curved engagement sections 62, 64 extend arcuately outwardly from the planar central connecting portion 69 and terminate in a position facing towards each other. The engagement sections 62, 64 terminate in tangential end sections 66 and 68. The end sections 66 and 68 are tangentially disposed extensions of engagement sections 62 and 64 for facilitating engagement of the clip 16 with the racks 12 and 14. The

end sections 66 and 68 extend angularly towards each other.

The upper curved engagement section 62 and end section 66 of the clip 16 is adapted to he slid over the lower members 52 of the upper display rack 14 leaving the clip in a free-swinging position as is best indicated by the broken lines of FIG. 4. The clip 16 having been positioned over the lower members 52 of the upper display rack 14 is then pressed downwardly in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 4 until the end section 68 of the lower curved engagement section 64 comes tangentially into abutment with an upper portion 32 of an assembly 15 of the lower display rack. The clip 16 is then pressed downwardly so that the end section of the lower curved engagement section 64 is slid and snapped into place over the upper portion 32 of the assembly 15. In view of the fact that the clip is formed with a substantially larger radius of curvature '70 at the lower section than at the upper section '72, the substantially larger curved radius allows the snap locking of the clip 16 over the upper portion 32 of the tubular leg 18 of the lower display rack. The angularly extending end sections 66, 68 of the clip are tangentially disposed extensions of the engagement sections 66, 68 respectively and facilitate sliding engagement of the clip with the assemblies of the lower display rack 12 and legs 54) of the upper display rack 14.

Once the clip 16 has been fitted into place as is shown by the solid line in FIG. 4, the upper and the lower display racks 14 and 12 respectively are fastened together in a secure manner and cannot be separated from one another unless the clip 16is first removed.

The clips 16 cannot be accidently dislodged from their engaged position between the upper and lower display racks 12 and 14 due to the snap fit of the clips with the upper portions 32 of the assemblies 15. In order to remove a clip 16fron1 its locked position downward and 4 outward force must be applied to the forward edge of the end section 68. This pressure will force the tangentiallydisposed end section 68 of the clip 16 over the upper portion 32 of the assembly 15. Once this has happened, the

clip may be removed without difficulty from the lower edge 52 of the upper display rack 14. After removal of the clip, the upper and lower display racks may be separated from one another for movement to different locations or for more convenient storage.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of the instant invention will be employed without corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

I claim:

1. An advertising and display device comprising in combination a lower display rack, an upper display rack, clip means for maintaining said upper display rack and said lower display rack in releasably abutting relationship, said lower display rack having at least one pair of support assemblies, display shelves carried by said assemblies, upper display rack receiving means connected to said assemblies, said upper display rack having at least one pair of side members, said upper display rack being supported by said upper display rack receiving means, said clip means comprising a plurality of spaced clips, each of said clips including a planar central connecting portion, opposed curved engagement sections extending arcuately outwardly from said central portion of said clip and toward each other, one of said engagement sections embracing one of said assemblies, said other of said engagement sections embracing said side members.

2. An advertising and display device comprising in combination a lower display rack, an upper display rack, clip means for maintaining said upper display rack and said lower display rack in releasably abutting relationship, said lower display rack having at least one pair of support assemblies, display shelves carried by said assemblies, upper display rack receiving means connected to said assemblies, said upper display rack having at least one pair of side members, said side members being of lesser cross sectional dimension than said assemblies, said upper display rack being supported by said upper display rack receiving means, said clip means comprising a plurality of spaced clips, each of said clips including a planar central connecting portion, opposed curved engagement sections extending arcuately outwardly from said central portion of said clip and toward each other, one of said engagement sections having a substantially larger radius 4. An advertising and display device comprising in combination a lower display rack, an upper display rack, clip means for maintaining said upper display rack and said lower display rack in releasably abutting relationship, said lower display rack having at least one pair of support assemblies, display shelves carried by said assemblies, upper display rack receiving means connected to said assemblies, said upper display rack having at least one pair of side members, said side members being of lesser cross sectional dimension than said assemblies, said upper display rack being supported by said upper display rack receiving means, said clip means comprising a plu rality of spaced clips, each of said clips including a planar central connecting portion, opposed curved engagement sections extending arcuately outwardly from said central portion of said clip and toward each other, one of said engagement sections having a substantially larger radius 6 of curvature than the other of said sections, said one en- 1,724,362 8/29 Peterson 292-288 gagernent section embracing one of said assemblies, said 2,061,463 11/36 Hall 2473.7 other of said engagement sections embracing said side 3,082,879 3/63 Wilson 211-126 members, said end sections being tangentially disposed 3,092,257 6/63 Rountree 21149 extensions of said engagement sections for facilitating en- 5 3,095,093 6/63 Pelak 21l-126 gagernest of said clip, said clip being of unitary, rigid, non- 3,115,106 12/63 Gersch 211l81 flexible construction. FOREIGN PATENTS References Examiner Canada.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 1 522 7 1 25 Genebach 2 1 1 CLAUDE A- LE ROY: i y Examiner- 1,639,870 8/27 Valsvig 292288 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner. 

1. AN ADVERTISING AND DISPLAY DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A LOWER DISPLAY RACK, AN UPPER DISPLAY RACK, CLIP MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID UPPER DISPLAY RACK AND SAID LOWER DISPLAY RACK IN RELEASABLY ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP, SAID LOWER DISPLAY RACK HAVING AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF SUPPORT ASSEMBLIES, DISPLAY SHELVES CARRIED BY SAID ASSEMBLIES, UPPER DISPLAY RACK RECEIVING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ASSEMBLIES, SAID UPPER DISPLAY RACK HAVING AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF SIDE MEMBERS, SAID UPPER DISPLAY RACK BEING SUPPORTED BY SAID UPPER DISPLAY RACK RECEIVING MEANS, SAID CLIP MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED CLIPS, EACH 